It is a slur, but given that they're an impoverished minority that lives in squalor and/or as refugees, it doesn't have much bite. What made real life slurs so terrible is not that they were slurs, but that they were a reflection of very real institutional power: racism embodied in deed and thought, and that sort of disparagement made it easier for people to marginalize others.
The elves couldn't marginalize anybody if their lives depended on it. I suppose if there were some sort of revanchist elven imperialists out there bent on resurrecting Arlathan, then it might be a little different but then you might wager they had a justified grievance and a reason to use it, whereas most elves--dalish or not--are simply bitter whiners.
Shemlen - a racial slur?
Débuté par
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, mars 21 2011 12:27
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#27
Guest_iOnlySignIn_*
Posté 21 mars 2011 - 03:05
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Emperor Iaius I wrote...
It is a slur, but given that they're an impoverished minority that lives in squalor and/or as refugees, it doesn't have much bite. What made real life slurs so terrible is not that they were slurs, but that they were a reflection of very real institutional power: racism embodied in deed and thought, and that sort of disparagement made it easier for people to marginalize others.
The elves couldn't marginalize anybody if their lives depended on it. I suppose if there were some sort of revanchist elven imperialists out there bent on resurrecting Arlathan, then it might be a little different but then you might wager they had a justified grievance and a reason to use it, whereas most elves--dalish or not--are simply bitter whiners.
Which confuses me. They seem hell-bent on marginalizing themselves even further, and their attitude is reflected in this term. The air of superiority of the Dalish borders on comical absurdity given how dismal their situation actually is.
This is why I like Fenris - he is an Elf, but he does not try to appear superior as if his life depends on it, nor does he appear as a helpless victim at the mercy of other people's charity. He fights for an equal position among the humans - no more, no less. Perhaps the Tevinter Elves are like him - not the annoying bunch we see in Ferelden and the Free Marches.
#28
Posté 21 mars 2011 - 05:16
Dr_Vile
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I always thought it was similar to how Welsh Nationalists use the word "Sais" to describe English people - it's technically correct, since it's the Welsh word for 'Englishman' (actually it means Saxon, but that's a long and involved point), but it is generally used (primarily by Nationalists) as a mild perjorative.
#29
Posté 21 mars 2011 - 08:23
bill4747bill
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Beerfish wrote...
I heard they are editing out the word Shemlen in Huck Finn.
That must be done. A human might be offended.
#30
Posté 21 mars 2011 - 08:26
AlexXIV
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It is not an insult per se. But many Dalish use it in a condescending way which kinda makes it an insult. They could as well say 'you humans' instead of 'you shemlen' and use it in a condescending/insulting way.
Modifié par AlexXIV, 21 mars 2011 - 08:27 .
